1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of calculating devices.
The invention particularly relates to portable slide rule type calculating devices.
The invention specifically relates to a calculating device for determining a person's proper bra size.
2. Prior Art
Slide rules are well known calculators which are provided in various styles and sizes. There are relatively flat slide rules having members movable linearly, one with respect to another, and disc and cylindrical slide rules wherein the moving members rotate about a common axis.
Special purpose calculators are also familiar to those skilled in the prior art. Such specialized slide rule calculators include those for calculating electrical wire sizes, energy consumption by household appliances, the number of board feet of lumber contained within a tree log, the volume of a room, etc.
While the high accuracy, simplicity of operation, and relatively low cost of today's electronic calculators has generally replaced the slide rule for general and engineering calculations, the hand-operated slide rule for specialized calculations still finds popular acceptance. This is particularly true where the elements of a given calculation are involved, not readily memorized, or are given to misunderstanding. Because of these factors, it is believed that the bra-size calculator disclosed herein will find ready acceptance.
Early in the last decade a bra manufacturer sent out a call for women to model a size 34B bra. Over two hundred applicants applied, each believing they were size 34B. Only two of the two hundred applicants were found to be size 34B.
A brochure published by International Playtex, Inc. in 1979 notes that seven out of ten women may be wearing the wrong size bra. Seven pages of that brochure are then employed to describe and detail the manner in which a woman should measure her figure and manipulate those measurements to determine her proper bra and cup size. The directions instruct the woman to measure around her bra band or her underbust and add five to that measurement to determine her bra size unless, of course, the addition of five to the band measurement results in an odd number in which case the woman shall add six to the band measurement to determine her proper bra size.
Having found her bra size in accordance with the above method, the woman is then instructed to make an overbust measurement about the fullest part of her bust. This overbust measurement is to be compared with the bra size just determined. The proper cup size is then given in terms of the following tabulation:
______________________________________ If overbust measure is: Cup Size is: ______________________________________ up to 1/2 inch larger than bra size AA up to 1 inch larger than bra size A up to 2 inches larger than bra size B up to 3 inches larger than bra size C up to 4 inches larger than bra size D up to 5 inches larger than bra size DD ______________________________________
The picture is further clouded by the fact that professional undergarment manufacturers and fitters employ a third measurement made above the fullness of the bust and close to the underarms. This measurement takes into account the fact that the fullness of a women's bust, which extends to the side of her torso and under her arms, affects the proper fit of the bra and therefore is determinative of the correct bra size.
It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide a convenient means for calculating proper bra and bra cup sizes based on the three measurements: chest, overbust, and band; utilized by professional undergarment fitters.
It is a particular objective of the invention to provide a simple-to-use, conveniently carried, inexpensive bra size calculator.
It is a specific objective of the invention to provide a bra size calculator in the form of a slide rule which a woman, armed with her chest, overbust, and band measurements, may readily utilize to determine her correct bra and cup size.